


Truest Friends

by SaraJaye



Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: Angst, Arrest, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Prison, Self-Hatred, Shawn Fucks Up His Life, True Companions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 17:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1949145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Shawn's life fucks itself up yet again. Luckily, this time he's not the one who did something monumentally stupid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truest Friends

It wasn't even his fault this time, but it's just as well. Some spoiled rich guy bumps into him, he gets pissed, there's a fight and when the rich guy drops his stolen booze the cop turns around and suddenly the bottle's shoved into _his_ hands. _Of course Shawn Hunter did it, he's trailer trash, everyone knows it, I'm rich and popular and my daddy's a big shot Mister Officer I never do anything wrong!_

Lucky thing the cop isn't stupid, so they're both taken into the station. In separate cars. Rich guy whines, but Shawn knows the drill by now. Keep your mouth shut, you get one phone call, anything you say can be used against you. So he calls Cory, because Jack will just lecture him and Eric will just make things worse by being Eric.

It wasn't even his fault, but trailer trash like him belongs here anyway. Cory'll bail him out, but it'll still sting just as bad tomorrow. Jack's going to find out about it anyway, lecture him till the cows come home. Eric's gonna make jokes about dropping the soap. And Feeny? Shawn doesn't even want to think about _that_ eventuality.

As far as he's concerned, he still deserves to be here, innocent or not.

Cory shows up, flanked by Topanga, and they pay his bail. While Topanga talks to the officer at the desk, Cory joins him in the cell. It's dirty and gross and Cory wrinkles his nose but for once he's not Mr. Picky.

"I wish I could say I was surprised," Cory says, and Shawn just waves it off. This is only the second time he's ever been in jail but he's been taken to the police station more times than he can count. "But technically, this doesn't count cause it wasn't your fault. The cops even said the other guy's gonna face worse charges, cause underage drinking," Cory goes on.

"Still counts," Shawn mutters, trying not to look in any corners. It's a single cell but they hardly ever clean them, and it _stinks._ And he's lived in a trailer park all his life. "I'm still in here, aren't I?"

"Shawn, we're gonna get the charges dropped. All you did was defend yourself!"

"Cory, just stop." Shawn can't even look at him, this pure and good Mr. All-American kid. Too good for him. Everyone he loves is too good for him, sometimes he thinks the only reason they haven't ditched him is out of pity. _Poor Shawn, so pathetic._ Like taking care of him makes them feel better about themselves somehow. "What's done is done. I'll still have another arrest on my record, everyone's gonna find out and they'll never let me hear the end of it."

"They _worry_ about you, Shawn, that's why they bug you. Cause they-"

"I don't need that!" He snaps, because snapping and pushing everyone away is what he does best at times like this. He's used to it, and he's used to feeling like crap when he succeeds. He waits for Cory to get up and walk out, the cell stinks and Cory hates being in gross places.

But he doesn't budge. Cory Matthews, pickiest person in the world, keeps sitting on a dirty bench in a stinky cell.

For _him._

"We still do." He puts his hand on Shawn's shoulder and Shawn tries to shrug him off, but it's no use. "And it's going to be okay. We'll get you out, talk to the cops and they'll drop the charges. It was the other guy's fault."

"Doesn't matter. I'm-"

"Totally innocent this time." Cory cuts him off. "Well, not totally, but the other guy shoved you and tried to frame you. With booze. That he's not legally allowed to have."

"I guess." It _wasn't_ his fault, but as far as he knows you lose the right to cry innocent the moment the cops take you in. It's always been that way.

Still, there's the part of him that can't help but be thankful for a friend like Cory, who's willing to drop everything to rescue him. Or Topanga, who's perfectly okay with this even if they were about to go to the movies. No complaints...at least, no complaints this time.

He leans against Cory, trying to believe him as he keeps saying everything's going to be fine.

Topanga returns, bail paid, and a cop opens the cell. Charges are being dropped, just like Cory said, but he better not get in anymore fights. Shawn promises he won't, but can the rich idiots promise not to be jerks? Probably not, so the cop suggests going out of his way to avoid them. Cops aren't usually this nice to him.

"The outside world's way too bright," he says. He always makes that joke anytime he's at the police station, but Cory and Topanga still laugh. Already he feels a little better, and the only people walking the streets right now are bums and weirdos. Cory's already starting to get twitchy.

"Let's go get ice cream. It's nice and safe inside the ice cream store," he says. "Besides, Shawny here deserves a treat after all he's been through, and I owe the most understanding girlfriend in the world a treat after we had to miss the movie." Typical Cory, but Topanga smiles and Shawn can't bring himself to say he's not a kid who can be comforted with ice cream. Besides, he's hungry.

They sit at their table, eating and telling jokes as if nothing ever happened. And Shawn realizes once again that no matter how smothering they can be, there's no pity involved.

Best friends ever.


End file.
